Collins' agent: Sixers still behind coach

More than once this season, 76ers CEO Adam Aron has reinforced his commitment to coach Doug Collins – through piled-up defeats and the anticipated debut of their star player that never came to pass.

According to Collins’ agent, the support of the coach from the Sixers’ front office has never wavered.

“Your observation is spot-on,” said John Langel, who represents Collins. “They’ve been very supportive.”

The Sixers, according to a published report in Thursday’s Philadelphia Inquirer, would like Collins to step down. Naming more than one unnamed source, the report said the team would prefer it if Collins resigned.

Collins, who is in his third season coaching the Sixers, has one year remaining on his contract.

“Consciously,” Langel said, “he has not asked for an extension beyond that.”

A team spokesperson said the Sixers “are aware of the column,” and the team is “not going to comment on something laced with inneundo and speculation.”

In October, owner Josh Harris stood beside Collins when he announced the team had picked up the coach’s option for the 2013-14 season. Removing Collins from the job would come with a caveat. If the Sixers were to fire him, they would owe the coach his salary, which is believed to be in excess of $4 million.

Collins has guided the Sixers to a 31-47 record, entering tonight’s meeting with Washington. The Sixers were expected to contend for the Atlantic Division crown, as one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.

Of course, that never happened. The same could be said for Andrew Bynum’s debut. The star center, for whom the Sixers traded in August, never played for the team and underwent surgery on both of his chronically injured knees last month.

By no means should Collins be the fall guy for what could have been. And, according to Langel, Collins isn’t.

“They don’t (blame him) and they haven’t,” Langel said of the Sixers’ down season.